1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the preparation, compositions, and application of certain high molecular weight hydrophobic ether-esters which are useful in polycarbonate processing.
2. Description of the Art Practices
It is known that esters of simple alcohols may be used for various purposes including polycarbonate processing. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,595 issued Jan. 8, 1974 to Schirmer et al polycarbonate molding compositions are shown which are based on the esters of a trihydric alcohol and a saturated aliphatic carboxylic acid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,436 issued to Adelmann in December 1977 describes thermoplastic molding compositions containing a mold release agent which is an ester of a saturated aliphatic carboxylic acid having from 10 to 20 carbon atoms per molecule and an aromatic hydroxy compound containing from 1 to 6 hydroxyl groups.
It is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,435 issued June 27, 1978 to Rawling et al that montanic acid ester waxes may be employed in polycarbonate molding compositions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,575 issued Dec. 26, 1978 to Adelmann describes in combination with aromatic polycarbonates, mold release agents which are the esters of saturated aliphatic carboxylic acids with alcohol containing from 4 to 6 hydroxyl groups. The disclosures of U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,575 are also found in the related British Pat. No. 1,490,467 published Nov. 2, 1977. U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,024 issued Mar. 6, 1979 to Adelmann et al describes aromatic polycarbonate based thermoplastic molding compositions utilizing as a mold release agent the ester of a saturated aliphatic carboxylic acid containing from 10 to 20 carbon atoms per molecule and an aromatic hydroxyl compound from having 1 to 6 hydroxyl groups.
Lindner et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,458, issued Jan. 10, 1984, teaches that specific guerbet alcohol diesters containing from 16 to 40 carbon atoms total in the guerbet alcohol molecule can be used as mold release agents in polycarbonate products.
General disclosures of polycarbonate technology are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,495 issued Mar. 28, 1978 to Freitag et al. Similar general disclosures are also found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,150 issued to Adelmann et al on Feb. 8, 1977.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,551 issued Sept. 8, 1987 to Liu, teaches that alcohols can be reacted with butryolactone compounds like butryolactone, methylbutryolactone, dimethylbutryolactone, ethylbutryolactone and diethylbutryolactone. Materials prepared in accordance with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,551 conform to the following structure: ##STR1##
The specific alcohols used in the preparation of the ether-esters of this invention are guerbet alcohols. Since two moles of alcohol are being reacted with one of the butryolactone, early in the reaction they have an added benefit of acting as solvents for the reaction. Later at higher temperatures the second mole reacts to esterify the newly formed carboxyl group.
To the extent that each of the foregoing patents is relevant to the present invention they are herein specifically incorporated by reference. Throughout the specification and claims, percentages and ratios are by weight, pressures are gauge and temperatures are Celsius unless otherwise noted.